The Return of the Jacob & Co. Palatial Flying Tourbillon Minute Repeater

Jacob Arabo, founder of Jacob & Co., has a flair for showmanship. Whether you like them or not, his creations are strikingly expressive and absolutely like no others in terms of aesthetics and technicality. The visual spectacle of watches such as the Astronomias or the Bugattis is captivating, with bold 3D architectures that come alive. They create a mesmerising sense of depth, motion, and dimensionality, making every watch feel like a miniature kinetic universe. But the spectacle can be more than visual. And as sound can be an essential element in theatrical performance, Jacob has also enhanced some of his watches with this dimension… Full-on party for your wrist. Jacob entered that universe in 2014 with the Palatial Flying Tourbillon Minute Repeater that paved the way for a rich saga of chiming watches. As Jacob & Co. celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2026, the model returns in a modernised version.

Over the past 12 years, Jacob & Co. has built an impressive repertoire of chiming watches, whether repeaters or musical instruments. Among these, the Opera (from 2017) and Opera Godfather (from 2018) series with their integrated musical function immediately come to mind. The first Godfather editions combined a triple-axis tourbillon with a musical mechanism playing Nino Rota’s “Love Theme from The Godfather”. As its name suggests, the Opera Godfather Minute Repeater (2020) added a minute repeater mechanism. With the rectangular Godfather II (2026), a flying tourbillon was combined with a mechanism capable of playing two distinct melodies. There is also the ultra-complex Twin Turbo and Twin Turbo Furious (2018) series. The latter combines twin triple-axis tourbillons with a monopusher chronograph, a power reserve indicator and a decimal minute repeater fitted with cathedral gongs to produce a deeper and more resonant sound. Within the Astronomia series, the Maestro (2018) introduced a carillon minute repeater, with three gongs and three hammers. Back in 2014, the Rasputin Tourbillon Minute Repeater was a high-jewellery creation combining a tourbillon with a chiming mechanism that reveals a concealed erotic automaton as it strikes.

But to come full circle, we have to go back to the Palatial Tourbillon Minute Repeater (also 2014), with which sound entered Jacob & Co’s universe. Presented in a relatively restrained round case, the Palatial is the brand’s take on a classic watchmaking complication, the minute repeater. But Jacob being Jacob, it had to be more than a “simple” minute repeater. The chiming mechanism is fitted with cathedral gongs while the movement is regulated by a flying tourbillon, and transparent dials often allowed to discover their mechanism. Today, as Jacob & Co. celebrates its 40th anniversary, this watch returns in a new version with some notable updates in a limited edition of 12 pieces – as the watch was originally presented 12 years ago.

The design of the updated Palatial Flying Tourbillon Minute Repeater follows that of the original version. Fashioned out of 18k rose gold, it still comes in a 43mm round case with sculpted lugs. Its red, transparent mineral crystal dial reveals the intricacies of the chiming mechanism. That’s quite a feast for the eyes, especially as the chiming mechanism is activated and one gets to see the interactions of the cams, racks, levers and different parts. If red transparent dial versions had been originally offered, these featured different options for the applied markers. The 2026 rendition combines faceted hour markers with the brand’s logo, while a musical key still signals the acoustic dimension of the watch.

Some of the most notable updates, however, relate to the hand-wound minute repeater flying tourbillon movement, directly derived from the original engine but with numerous upgrades in its construction. Among these, if the JCCM04 calibre still features cathedral gongs (that extend longer around the movement to produce a richer sound), their conception has been slightly adapted, as well as that of the hammers. Importantly, the acoustics have been specifically improved with the integration of a modern, silent centrifugal governor that now virtually eliminates any background noise. Altogether, the chime is really pleasant, with a clear and harmonious tone. And it is remarkably loud given the fact that the case is 30 m water-resistant.

The JCCM04 calibre is manufactured with Régence in Geneva. It is a movement with a relatively long history as it was originally developed at BNB Concept, subsequently taken over at Pierre Favre’s MHC who then joined Timeless within the Régence Group. Composed of 308 components, the JCCM04 calibre is regulated by a one-minute flying tourbillon whose balance operates at 3Hz (21,600 vibrations/hour). It delivers some 90 hours of power reserve. It is visible at the back of the watch with a grey-toned finish and bridges decorated with Geneva stripes.

The Jacob & Co Palatial Flying Tourbillon Minute Repeater is presented on a red alligator leather strap fitted with a gold pin buckle. It is released in a limited edition of 12 pieces and retails for USD 390,000. For more details, please visit jacobandco.com.